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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26079286">stream of false dawn</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/mayuaka/pseuds/mayuaka'>mayuaka</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Compilation of Final Fantasy VII</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Domestic Fluff, M/M, Puppet Cloud Strife</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 02:48:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,045</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26079286</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/mayuaka/pseuds/mayuaka</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>And so is his constant; the variation is low and he likes it that way. There are new books to read and new things to cook and new ways for Sephiroth to love him, always, and it is enough.</p><p>Sephiroth asks, “Do you miss it?”</p><p>Cloud does not know what he is referring to, and says as such. Sephiroth smiles and shakes his head, explaining that he was simply caught up in his thoughts. Cloud smiles back and does not think much of it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sephiroth/Cloud Strife</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>127</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>stream of false dawn</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>me: i realized that i havent actually written any fluffy sfkr yet<br/>friend: yeah wtf do it<br/>me:</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He feels the slight dip of the mattress as Sephiroth settles into bed next to him. Sephiroth's been working longer and longer nights lately. At first, Cloud had wanted to stay up with him, but after a few nights of him accidentally falling asleep in his chair, Sephiroth insisted that he didn’t. so now he gets into bed early and dozes off, then wakes slightly when Sephiroth joins him.</p><p>He shifts, pressing his side into Seph’s. A soft, strong arm curls around him. “I thought I told you to go ahead and sleep.”</p><p>“Mmm. I did.”</p><p>“Did I wake you?”</p><p>“Not really.” Cloud turns on his side to face him. Sephiroth's eyes are so bright in the dark, like a light guiding him home. He presses a gentle kiss to Cloud’s forehead, and another on his lips. Slow, warm, comforting. When he turns back over so Cloud can slot his back against his chest, chin pressed to the top of his head, arm wrapped carefully around his torso, Cloud closes his eyes and lets himself drift.</p><p>It’s perfect in their space together, just them; Sephiroth’s breaths are slow and steady, his heartbeat a quiet rhythm that accompanies their peace. These are his favorite moments above all, where nothing needs to be on his mind but relaxation. His mind wanders in the quiet and eventually tires itself out, lulled to sleep by the rise and fall of breaths against his back. </p><p>He wakes with the sun. Sephiroth can sleep in if he doesn’t have work, though Cloud always rises when the light reaches a certain point in the sky and filters through the curtains just right. He thinks it must be another way the universe pushes them together, because it lets him surprise Seph with breakfast. It’s the little things Cloud can give back, in exchange for everything Sephiroth has done for him. To learn to cook, to find the things Sephiroth likes, to make sure that everything in their home was perfect for him to come back to, because he could. </p><p>When Sephiroth kisses him, it tastes of the homemade strawberry jam Cloud had learned to make recently, all the sweeter for it. </p><p>He braids Seph’s hair in the morning, methodically crisscrossing the silky strands with careful reverence. They both agree that while the length of his hair is a hindrance at worst, its aesthetic is unmatched. Besides, Cloud likes running it through his fingers, and he especially likes the way it brushes against his bare shoulders when Sephiroth is on top of him. It means everything when Cloud puts the dishes in the sink and heads over to the stool that Seph is already sitting on. Their eyes meet in the full length mirror placed in front of him, matching green to green; Cloud smiles, Sephiroth returns it. The hair tie is pink and ruffly on his wrist, and he pulls it over the length of hair, twists it, and eases the hair back through, securing it at the base of the braid. Seph reaches up to feel it, pleased.</p><p>“Thank you, Cloud.”</p><p>“Of course,” he says to the mirror. Seph is wearing a plain t-shirt and shorts that barely cover his thighs and for some reason Cloud always finds it endearing just to see him in casual clothing. It seems to make him soft at the edges; it almost doesn’t fit quite right in his mind’s eye. Seph wears neatly pressed suits to work and while they do look amazing, Cloud likes the thought of being the only person who’s allowed to witness a Sephiroth that has just woken up, hair sticking up in odd directions and stumbling through the house without pants on. Cloud wears the sleeveless tops Sephiroth gets for him and wraps Sephiroth’s old coat around his shoulders when it gets colder. He's not sure why Seph stopped using it, but it gives him comfort whenever Seph arrives home late.</p><p>He melts into every kiss Sephiroth gives him as thanks; he’s sure he could never get sick of the feeling of them pressing so close to each other. Each is a new sensation that makes him whole again, reminding him of the depth of Sephiroth’s care as he’s lifted ever so slightly off the ground for a better angle. If the last things Cloud ever felt were this he would be satisfied with all he had ever done. If his last seconds of life were spent like this he would gladly do so.</p><p>And so is his constant; the variation is low and he likes it that way. There are new books to read and new things to cook and new ways for Sephiroth to love him, always, and it is enough.</p><p>Sephiroth asks, “Do you miss it?”</p><p>Cloud does not know what he is referring to, and says as such. Sephiroth smiles and shakes his head, explaining that he was simply caught up in his thoughts. Cloud smiles back and does not think much of it.</p><p>He doesn't often dream, and he remembers the dreams even less. There is a field of yellow flowers he sees sometimes—he wishes he could show their beauty to Sephiroth. The night Sephiroth asks that out-of-place innocuous question is the same night his dreams change. Cloud doesn’t count the days, but he’s sure of that. </p><p>The flowers are the same, swaying gently in the breeze. After a moment it starts to rain, the skies clouding over, the drops landing in his hair and on his back. A pressure starts to grow in his chest. The rain is freezing on his skin. He looks down at his hands, stained red like crushed strawberries, and chokes on air.</p><p>“Do you miss it?” Sephiroth asks, taking Cloud’s hands in his. Their palms are sticky against each other, and Cloud shakes his head. No, he doesn’t want this. He's afraid, so afraid. Sephiroth welcomes him with open arms and soothes him.</p><p>“Do you want to go? You can leave, whenever you want.” </p><p>How cruel of him to ask! Everything is too painful to face. Cloud shivers in his arms and buries his face in his shoulder. </p><p>“Tell me. Do you want to leave?”</p><p>“No,” he cries, “no, I don’t.” </p><p>Sephiroth hums, pleased, but the rain never stops.</p>
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